Apparatus for use in the manufacture of artificial silk and the like



Nov. 8, 1927.

D. A. MCKENZIE APPARATUS FOR USE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL SILK AND THELIKE Filed May 6, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 13cm/FMD H /Wc Kfvz/E Nov. 8, 1927.

D. A. MCKENZIE APPARATUS FOR USE IN THE MANUFACTURE 0F ARTIFICIAL SILK AND THE LIKE 5 {Sheets-Shea?l 2 lNvENToR BaN/QLD HJWc/(ENZ/E BY M/ ATTORNEYS Filed May e. 1925 lvm/.8,1921 l1,648,619

D. A. MCKENZIE APPARATUS FOR USE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL SILK AND THE LIKE Filed May 6. 1925 5 Sheets-Shea?l 5 INVENTOR Zie/wup H.. Ma KEN2/E ATTORNEY Nov. 8, 1927.

D. A. MCKENZIE APPARATS FOR USE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL SILK AND THE LIKE Filed May 6, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 8, 1927.

` D. A. McKENzlE 1648619 APPARATUS FOR USE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL SILK AND THE LIKE Filed May 6. 1925 "o INVENToR tE Don/m z;A 4. M KEN2/5 ATTORN EYS Patented Nov. d, w27,

COMPANY', 0F MARCUS HOUR, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORTEGN @F PENNSYL- WAHM.

AFPT'US FR USE EN THE MANUFAGTURE @F ARTFICIAL SEEK AND THE LKE. y

v Application ated may e, 1925, Serial. No., 2&380, and in canada Septemter 24,1924.,

. Wound silk during Washing and such appro priate further treatment as may be desired. rEhe particular carriers shown are o? such I construction that the product may be either Wound directly thereon, or first wound in a spinning box or the like, and thereafter dotted upon the carrier tor subsequent tiraitu ment.

'l`he present application is based tundamentally upon the subject matter ot my copending application Ser. No. 683,213 tiled December 28, 1923, and deals with apparatus for carrying out the method therein disclosed and claimed. linasmuch as ,l have shown -further improvements in the appa`1 ratus over that illustrated in said application, the present application is a continuation in part, rather than strictly a division thereof, although several of the constructions shown in both applications are the same.

ithout going into the details et the method disclosed in my former application, it sutlices for the present case to state that the apparatus to which rnyinvention relates lis designed with a view to the treatment orc a more or less dense mass ot artificial silk, or the like, by causing liquid to traverse vthe mass under the inuence of centrifugal torce. Such a mass is the usual fiber cake obtained` by Winding the silk in. a rotating spinning hor, in a manner Well understood in the art. Another appropriate mass is obtained by winding the silk directly upon a carrier of the general type herein dis` closed, `which may serve in this instance as a bobbin. v

Several appropriate constructions are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in 'Which- Fig. 1 is a broken plan of a liber cake and a cooperating washing appliance;

Fig. 2 is a section on the.line2-2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan vievv of the a paratus shown in Fig. l, but With the parts in difterent position;

Fig. d is a broken side elevation ot the rotor alone;

Fig. 5 is an inverted broken plan thereof;

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating; the operation or" the Washer;

Fig. 7 is a broken plan of a modified construction;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section therethrough;

Fig. 9 is a broken plan of a further modiication;

Fig. 10 is a vertical section on the line 10-10 Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a section on the line llt-d1, Figa. l0; A

Fig, 12 is a vertical section through acarrier et the bobbin type;

Fig'. 13 is a broken plan thereof;

Fig.7 1l is a modied construction et a carrierot the bobbin type;

Fig. 15 is a broken plan thereof; and

Fig. 16 is a broken side elevation illustrat ing a carrier of this type With the treating` liquid Hooding the interior.,

lln its broad aspect the apparatus com.- prises a driving rotor, a carrier tor the mass of artificial silk or the like, said carrier being adapted to be'detachably secured on the rotor, and means for supplying treating fluid to the inner periphery ot the mass While the latter is rotated so that the Huid is caused to penetrate and traverse the mass and be thrown off by centrifugal torce. 'ln all'its elements, the apparatus is subject to considerable modification, While still accomplishing my purposes. 'llhe constructions shown are therefore merely illustrative oit several different forms, which may be successtully employed.

lin the form illustrated in Figs. l-, the

carrier comprises a baseplate 5 apertured at- 6 for ventilation and lightness, and at 7 to allor-d a bearing for the offset lower ends 8 of the centering and gripping bars 9. ,At its center the plate 5 is apertured to pass I' )DGNLD A. MUKENZE, 0F SWARTHMORE, PENNSYLANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 THE VISGOSE I till @lll

over a rotary tubular standard perforated at appropriate points 11, the perforations preferably being rather small. Fitting over the upper end of the standard 10 is a second bearing plate 12, the odset collar 13 of which snugly iits the standard. 'l`he plate 12 is appropriately pierced at 14 (Fig. 1) in register with the apertures 7 in plate 5 to receive the upper offset ends 15 of the bars 9.

@verlying the base plate 5 is a bar shifting disk 16 centrally apertured to snugly lit the base plate collar 17, and resting at its outer periphery upon the marginal flange 18 of the base plate which is embraced by the down-turned marginal flange 19 of the disk 16. The latter is held in swivelling relation to the base plate 5 by lugs 2O odset from the flange 19 and extending beneath the base plate. The bar shifting disk 16 is slotted at 21 for ventilation and lightness, and also at 22 to accommodate the bars 9 which pass therethrough, the lower odset To cooperate with the carrier and to cause the same to bodily rotate during the washing or other step of treatment, l provide a vertical rotary spindle 24, having at its upper end a rigid hub 25, in the upper supporting face of which pockets 26 are formed for the reception of the offset lower ends 8 of the gripping bars 9. When the carrier is ositioned upon the hub, the ends 8 of the Ears 9 form in eifect clutch studs, throu h which the driving connectionbetween t e hub 25 and the cake carrier is elfected. The tubular standard 10 over which the carrier plates pass,is fast with the hub and rotates therewith and with the carrier.

In order to locate the gripping bars 9 in proper position for the reception of the liber cake when the latter is dolfed from the spinning box to the carrier, the disk 16 is rotated with respect to the baseplate 5 to cause the bars 9 to swing inwardly toward the axis of the carrier. The fiber cake, dia rammatically indicated at 27, -is then doffe upon the disk 16 and the latter rotated with respect j,

by onegend of a light spring to the base plate 5, thus causing the bars 9 tomove outward into engagement with the inner periphery of the fiber cake. The direction o the rotation of the disk 16 'With reference to the base plate 5 to vcause the outward swing of the bars on their crank arms, is the same as that which it takes as a result of its inertia and `that of its supported mass 4during thel drive of the spindle 24. This direction of rotation may be readily assured by so limiting the radial length of the slot-s lnasmuch as the weight of the liber cake may not be absolutely uniformlydistributed around its axis, or since the axis of the cake when positioned on the carrier may not be precisely coincident with the axis of the spindle, stresses may be set up when the carrier is rotated, which tend to collapse the cage and thus reduce the grip of the bars on the liber cake, with resultant sli page of the lat-ter. To prevent this possibi ity, it is advisable to provide masses, the centrifugal effort of which is so exerted as to overcome these unbalanced stresses. This may be accomplished in many ways. tained, for example, by means of the bell crank arms 28 pivoted on the hub 25 and provided at their free ends with weights 29. ugs 30 project downward from the flange 19 of the disk 16 into the path of the arms 28,A and are so located that the thrust of the arms against them, under the action of centrifugal force, is in a direction to rotate the disk 16 in the direction to expand the cage and cause the gripping arms 9 to move outward against the inner wall of the cake.

Since the arms 28 are carried by the hub 25, some means must be provided to so locate the carrier with respect to the hub 25 that the lugs 30 are properly positioned for engagement by the centrifugal arms 28. For this'purpose' one or more lugs 31 may be struck inward from the collar 13 to-enter notches 32 in the upper margin of the rotor standard 10.

Furthermore, since the centrifugal arms 28 must be swung inward in order to insure their proper position with respect to the lugs 30 on the disk when the cage is placed on the rotor in collapsed condition (Fig. 3), some means are preferably provided to draw the arms 284 automatically inward toward the hub 25. 'In the construction shown the bearing ends 33 and 34 of` the centrifugal arms are passed downward through the hub 25, each provided at its lower end with a in 35 which is cnO'aged 36 anchored t0 the hub at its other end 37. The etl'ort of the spring 36 is sutlicient to swing the` arms inward toward the hub, but has no appreciable effect upon the effort of the arms under the action of centrifugal force.V

The wash liquid maybe applied in any suitable way to the inner periphery of the fiber cake. I have illustrated an independentg supply pipe 38 which is passed down into the standard 10, and is provided with a series of lateral apertures 39 through which the wash water is discharged against the inner face of the rotating standard l0. It passes through the apertures 11 in the latter and is dispersed in the form of a fine spray against the inner face of the fiber cake. The direction of the jets is indicated in the diagram, Fig. 6. As will be noted, the liquid emerges in a radial spray from the central feedpipe 38 and impinges against the inner wall of the rotatary standard 10. Passing through the holes 11 in the latter, the liquid is discharged in a whirling` mist-like spray which bodily rotates in the same direction as the fiber cake 27 against the inner face of which the spray impinges. By reason of the fact that the spray is whirling in the same direction as the fiber cake, aviolent impingement of the jets against the fiber of the cake is prevented. On the contrary, the

spray beats lightly against the inner periphery of the cake, without injury to the fibers.

Permeating the cake, the liquid is thrown off radially in all directions. It iseustomary to pass the spindles 24 up through the bottom of a boX, or side by side in a trough, (where a group of washers operates at the same time) and thus confine the liquid, which is discharged by an overflow or drainage outlet. The acid carried into the fiber cake from the setting bath is taken up by the wash water which permeates the cake by centrifugal force, and is discharged with the water from the trough or box (not Shown).

When the washing operation is completed the supply of wash water is cut off from the jet tube 38, land the rotation of the spindle 24 continued for a brief period in order to throw off the wash water contained in the cake. The spindle is lthen halted, the jet tube 38 removed, and the carrier bodily lifted from the driving hub of the spindle and transferred with the washed fiber cake to the drying chamber'or other apparatus for this purpose.

After drying or stoving, the carrier, with the fiber cake still undisturbed thereon, may be transferred to the skeining machine. I prefer, however, to still maintain the fiber cakeundisturbed on the carrier and to subject it to such further chemical action as may be appropriate, for example de-sulphiding and dyeing, by again placing the carrier upon a driving spindle, and applying the treating liquids to the inner periphery of the cake, through which theypass by centrifugal action incident to its rotation.

As an example of modified form of conf struction for the carrier, I have shown in 'Figs 7 and 8 a type in which the gripping bars 4() are fewer in number than in the construction first described, each of the bars,

however, carrying a segmental screen 41 adapted to lie against the inner periphery of' the fiber cake. In this. construction the upper and lower plates are dispensed with and are substituted by upper and lower flanges 42 and 43 at opposite ends of the rotary tube 44 which forms a portion of the carrier. The flanges 42 and 43 are suitably apertured in register tol receive the upper and lower offset ends of the bars which swing therein. The lower flange 43 is also apertured to accommodate the'offset ends of the rods 45 which project through apertures 46 in the down-turned flange 47 on the shifting disk 48. The rods 45 thus also form portion of the carrier in this construction.

The hub 49 at the head of the spindle 50 is provided with an annular channel 51, in which the lower flange 43 of the tube 44 is accommodated, while the pockets 52 into which Lthe stud ends 53 of the bars 4() project, extend downward from the bottom of the channel 51. The entry of the stud ends 53 of the bars 40 and rods 45 into their appropriate pockets 52 in the bottom of the channel'51, may be readily assured by means of a locating boss 54 on the hub 49 which takes into a corresponding notch 55 at the lower end of the tube 44.

ln both of the constructions, the rods 45 afford ready means for shifting the gripping bars 40 of the cage outward into engagement with the inner face of the fiber cake, after the carrier has been positioned on the spindle. For this purpose it is merely necessary to grasp the weights at the ends of the rods and pull them outward, the engagement of the rods with the flange of the shifting disk serving lto rotate the latter with respect to the hub 49. In the construction shown in Figs. 7 and 8, in which the rods 45 pass through holes 46 in the flange 47 of the shifting disk, the rods maybe also used to collapse the cage by shifting the gripping bars 40 inward. lt is necessary merely to push the rods inward to cause them to rotate the disk in the opposite direction and thus swing the gripping bars inward.

lln the construction shown in Figs. 1-5, the carrier may be handled readily by means of the collar 13, the apertures in which,

`formed by striking-in of the lugs 31, afford finger holds. A similar flange may be Drovided at the upper end of the tube 44 (Figs.

`7 and 8) if desired-but there is in this construction ample finger room between adjacent bars of the cage. Y

A further modification of the apparatus is illustrated in Figs. 9, 10 and 11, which obviates the use of the spray nozzle 38 illustrated in the preceding figures, as Well as having other features of advantage. In this construction the perforated cylinder 56 is castellated at its lower end to aiord clutch lugs 57 (Fig. lll) adapted to straddle the lugs 58 of the driving head 59 screwed onto the spindle 60 and seated against a shoul der 6l.

ai lntegral with the driving head 59 is a dispersing Well 62, tovvhich liquid 623 is delivered. from an `overhead valve-controlled nozzle 68. The supply of liquid is so regulated that during operation the well is filled to the level of the overflow holes 64 drilled in its Wall, preferably slightly above the level of the upper end of the, fiber mass 27'; Smaller perforations 65 in the Well Wall deliver the liquid in spray form to the interior of the llt perforated cylinder 56, and it is dispersed thence through its holes 66 in the form of a. fine spray which impinges Without injury against the inner periphery of the fiber calre. Substantially the indicated location and proitt portion of holes 65 in the Wall of the "Well should be followed when Washing the fiber calze to remove acid entrained from the setting bath. A greater quantity of Wash Water is required for the upper portion of the caire than for the lovver, to secure uniform results throughout.

y @entering and spacing lugs 67 at the upper margin of the vvell, lit the interior of the cylinder 56 and serve, With the hub 59,

to maintain these parte coaxial.

"llhe upper flange 68 of the cylinder is pierced at appropriate points to freely' receive and form bearings for the odset upper ends of the gripping bars 69. A Harige 7() at the opposite end of the cylinder is similarly apertured to receive the opposite ends of the gripping bars which are odset to pass upwardI therethrough. Pins 7l pass through the projecting ends of the bars and overlie Washers 72, thus supporting the bars on @ange 70. 'llhe plate 7 3, is provided with radial slots 7d through which the gripping bars pass, and is also provided vvith an inner marginal flange 75 Which is offset and engaged between the horizontal reaches 76 of the gripping bars, and the flange 70 on the cylinder 56. 'lhe plate is thus retained against escape While it is at the same time free to turn with respect to the cylinder on the collapse or expansion of the gripping bars 69. A dislr' 77 of rubber, phenolic condensation product, or the like, which is not affected by the chemicals carried by the fiber calze, is preferably secured upon the upper face of the plate v73, as by countersunk sc'revvs 78 `which take into the plate 73..

lt will be noted that in this modification l have omitted the supporting screens ll (Figs. 7 and 8), increased the number of supporting arms to eight, and omitted the Weighted bars 28 and 45, which are unes sential if uniformly distributed masses are substantially obtained.

ln Figs. 12-15 l have illustrated tvvo' different constructions, in which the carrier is narrante more appropriately formed to serve as a bobbin.

ln lligs. l2 and 18 the bobbin generally resembles the cake carrier just describe but modified to serve as a bobbin. The rigid perforated cylinder 79 is provided With flanges 8O and 8l at its opposite ends for the reception of the opposite ends of the pivoted ber-sulziporting arms 82. ylhe latter, how# ever, are parallel with the axis of the cylinder 7 9 so that the fiber may be Wound directly thereon in a cylindrical mass or cake. 'l`he spindle 88 upon which the bobbin is supported during winding, is driven through the end gears 84 in usual fashion. Fast upon the spindle is a driving head 85 provided vvith pins 86 adapted to take into holes 87 in the plate 88 and flange 8l., vvhichk register when the arms 82 are swung outvvard to extended position. A second drive connection with the spindle is provided at the opposite end of the cylinder through studs 89 projecting inward from the Harige and taking into notches 9() cut in the drive spindle 88. During the drive of the spindle for Winding, the arms 82 are thus held in extended position. When the bobbin is drawn off the spindle, however, the disengagen'ient of the pins 86 from the plate 88 and flange 81 of the bobbin, leaves the plate 88 free to turn with respect to the cylinder flange 8l. Consequently the arms 82 are then free to collapse incident to the shrinkage of the silk. The end of the perforated cylinder 79 which projects beyond the dan e 8l, is castellated as in the construction in icatd in Figs. 9, 10 and l1, to form clutch studs 91 which engage the teeth 58 of a .washing head 59, such as shown in Fig. l0., 'llhe apparatus shown in this ligure may therefore be used for Washing, or otherwise treating, the fiber, Whether Wound in cake or bobbin form..

ln tligs. 14e, l5 and i6 the arms of the bobbin just described, are substituted by a perforated cylinder 92, longitudinally split at 93 and the margins overlapped, so that the cylinder may collapse on the shrinkage of the fiber. ln order to hold the cylinder distended during Winding, the overlapped ends may be notched at 94 (ltig. 14) inV register When the cylinder is in distended condition. A dog 95 on the rigid detachable bobbin cap 96 enters the registering notches 94, and holds the cylinder distended. The pins 86 of the spindle driving head 85 take into holes in the bobbin base 97, connected to the cylinder by inwardly-extending radial pins 98, one of which passes through a hole 99 While the other passes through the over lapping margins of the cylinder which, are slotted at 100 to receive the same, and at the same time to permit the collapse of the cylinder incident to shrinkage of the fiber. lt will thus be obvious that While the cylintill* lll@ der 92 is held in distended position during the Winding of the liber thereon, it is free to collapse When the cap 96 has been removed. Both the cap 96 and the base 97 are provided With peripheral flanges 101 and 102 Within which the splitv cylinder is accommodated, and by which it is centered during Winding.

For Washing and subsequent treatments, the cap 96 is removed and the bobbin supported upon the base 97. The treatment With Washing or other` liquid, is indicated in Fig. 16. The driving spindle is provided With a clutch cone head 103 adapted to take into the coned hole 104: in the base 97. The interior of the cylinder may be flooded With v liquid 105 during the rapid rotation of the bobbin on a vertical axis by the spindle 102. The liquid passes through the perforations 106 of the cylinder and permeates and is peripherally discharged fromthe liber mass or cake by centrifugal force. Such shrinkage as may occur, during Washing, may cause a slight collapse of the splitv cylinder 92, as indicated to an exaggerated extent in F ig. 16. Further shrinkage incident to drying Will cause further collapse. No injury to the inner face of the fiber rmass results from the Hooding of the interior of the cylinder with liquid during rotation, since the cylinder Wall protects the fiber from the abrasive or mechanical action of the liquid.

Various other modifications Will occur to those dealing With the problem Without departing from what l claim as my invention.

ll claiml. Apparatus for treating a tubular mass of artificial silk fibers and the like, comprising a rotor, a carrier for the-mass adapted for quick detachable drive connection With the rotor and with the inner periphery of the tubular mass, and means for supplying liquid to the inner periphery of the mass during the rotation of the latter to cause the liquid to permeate and be discharged from the mass by centrifugal force.

2. Apparatus for treating a tubular mass of articial silk fibers and the like, comprising a rotor, a collapsible carrier for the mass adapted for quick detachable drive connection with the rotor and with the inner periphe of the tubular mass, and means or Supp yin liquid to the inner periphery of the mass urin the rotation of the latter to cause the li uid to permeate and be discharged from t e mass by centrifugal force.

3. Apparatus for treating a tubular mass of articial silk fibers and the like, comprising a rotor, a carrier for the mass adapted for quick detachable drive connection with the rotor and with the inner periphery of the tubular mass, and means for supplying liquid in finely divided condition to the inner periphery of the mass during the rotation of the latter to cause the liquid to permeate and be discharged from the mass by centrifrier for the mass, and a Well at the head of the rotor, the Wall of said Well being perforated to permit the discharge of liquid therefrom during the operation of the rotor,

together With a feeder spaced above the rotor for supplying liquid to the Well.`

' 6. For use in the treatment of a mass of artificial silk fibers or the like, a rotor adapted to receive a carrier for the mass, in combination With a carrier for the mass comprising a perforated tube, and pivoted gripping bars for supporting the mass around the tube but spaced therefrom.

7 For use in the treatment of a mass of artificial silk fibers or the like, a rotor adapted to receive a carrier for the mass, in combination with a carrier for the mass. comprising a perforated tube, and collapsible means for supporting the mass around the tube but spaced' therefrom.

8. For use in the manufacture of artificial silk, a carrier comprising a hub adapted to effect driving connection with a rotor, a cake support rotatable with respect to said hub, and a collapsible cage mounted on said hub and operated by the rotation of said support With respect to said hub to grip the cake at its inner periphery.

9. For use in the manufacture of artificial silk, a carrier comprising a tubular perforated hub adapted to eect driving connection With a rotor, a cake support rotatable With respect to said hub, and a collapsible cage mounted on said hub and operated by the rotation of said support with respect to said hub to grip the ca e at its inner periphery.

l0. For use in the manufacture of artiicial silk, a carrier for a centrally opened liber mass, said carrier comprising a supporting plate for one end of the massa series of pivoted gripping bars associated with said plate for collapsible engagement with the inner periphery of the mass, together with a centrally perforated tube .for distributing liquid to the inner periphery of the liber mass in finely divided condition un-r der the action of centrifugal force.

11. For use in the manufacture of artificial silk, a carrier for a centrally opened fiber mass, said carrier comprising a supporting plate for one end of the mass, a series of pivoted gripping bars associated 'with said piatte for collapsiibie engagement with the inner periphery et the mass9 tcgether with :i centrally perforated tube for distributing tiqud te the inner periphery ef 5 the fiber mass in ineiy divided condition under the action of centrifugal force7 im .combination with e drivlrig roter haring e iquid= receiving Well et its 'upper end, and means for estabiiehing e positive drive connection between said roter and the @entrai tubular member et the earrier.

iin testimony whereof here signed my meme to this speeiiicettieri,

DNAJLD A. MCKENZIIE., 

